yes many people are simply just standalone members of acmoc itself i am one one of them.

yes the situation had to change. and the big reason is insurance. the subsidiary chapters didnt really have any.
if it wasn't changed and god forbid and there was a accident at a event and people got hurt or killed particularly members of the public it would have meant the subsidiary involved and the club could have been sued out of existence.

there was also implications tax wise
and with state incorporation laws
and it becomes very tricky when those subsidiaries weren't just in one state but all over America and the world.

now the choices were somewhat limited and if they wanted to be actual clubs they had to write thier own constitutions and file for incorporation in thier own jurisdiction as that is handled on a state level. every incorporated group around the world is a tiny company and while social interest groups dont have to do the some things that a business does the laws are the same and have just as real consequences yes even as a director of a social club you can be jailed if you break corporations law. in queensland the dept of fair trading has all the info you need to do this freely available on thier website. im sure other jurisdictions around the world would have similar as a service to the community and to help community groups become incorporated as it gives very important protections to the members.

now if my dad and fred where able to form a incorporated group almost anyone could. dad is no oxford scholar and fred is dyslexic and they did it. yes they both had help from there much more clever wives. they would right something and mum and mellisa would "edit" it.

i understand the social aspect of going to meetings and the interaction with each other. and the passing of news of who is doing what going where etc. and when we were still involved with the club dad and i were founding members of, they held regular meetings and we enjoyed it. and yes many members turned up just for the chin wag and to find out what events were happening. they couldnt have care less about the financial position or the minutes of the last meeting.

the group im part of now doesnt hold meetings we rarely get a newsletter and we only occasionally have a social gathering other than meeting up at other groups events. so i do miss that social side too. what i dont miss is the infighting, white anting and bullshit that was going on before we left.

now if some members did try and put forward ideas and didnt feel welcome that is something the board needs to work on for the future.
and yes its very easy to sit on the outside and throw stones. its another to put ones hand up and actually take part in decision making.

also its easy for someone on the outside to see a solution than for the people involved to see it.

as for subsidaries reforming as clubs in thier own right and becoming contract chapters, if you asked 50 lawyers what is the best way to deal with the issue you would get similar answers all along the lines of the best thing is for them to incorporate as clubs in thier own right. it gives the best legal protections to both the chapter, the club(acmoc), and the members.

could it have been handled better? yes, if it had been raised yrs ago but it was placed in the too hard basket and left to grow bigger.

Kurt, and any and all board members or any member I will be glad to provide a list of members that volunteered to help but were rejected .Just give me a call and I will share their names. This forum is no place to share these names. I am a long-time member and would like the club to continue. Thanks for all of everyone's comments.

people dont realise how serious it can be members of unincorporated groups are responsible for debts and liabilities of the group personally. it can even cost people there own properties. incorporation prevents this. the exact reason many business people (rich pricks) start small companies to do anything if it goes bad only that company goes bust.

Folks, I have been biting my tongue reading some of the comments: Deebo is correct, the club finally gets someone willing to roll up their sleeves and deal with cleaning up the sh*t, and correct issues or make things better for the benefit of membership. The few calls I would receive? Not a word of encouragement or helpful suggestions.
The issue was at hand many years ago; previous boards continued to ignore things and "kick the can" sort of speak; just like politics, let the next guy deal with it!
Well, that time came, and as unpleasant as it may be, it was going to happen eventually. Hats off to all of the directors that have put MANY hours into dealing with ALL the issues.
I would love it if we had some gutsy folks to sign up to be part of the BOD, or a committee. Any takers? Hello?
Glad to be part of Chapter (soon to be contracted) 15 BTW. We listen to our membership, and thanks to some dedicated volunteers, things are moving along in a positive way.
The decision? It was not only about keeping our tight knit group together, but also for the benefit of many others that wish to be part of a fun loving club, may it be the friendships, the smell of fresh dirt and exhaust fumes or the good eats...all centered around the love of old iron, whether it be BEST, HOLT or Caterpillar. JM

I agree that what ever makes club members, individually or as a group, safer from being financially ruined by lawsuits, is a good idea. The added paperwork and expense is a pain but I think worth it. Grant.

well apart from the initial paperwork to apply for incorporation. its no more than what they were supposed to do any way.
they were still supposed to do quarterly and annual reports to acmoc as subsidiaries. it was just not chased up by the board.(from what has been mentioned by current board members) a lot of the paperwork is a box ticking exercise. but its a necessary one to cover your arse in case something happened god forbid it does.